I think most managers would have done the same thing and saved their closer. The bullpen would have basically been shot if Papelbon pitched a few and they were still playing. Who would be left? A sick MDC and Tavarez?
I beleive something similar happened against the White Sox in '06 one game before the All-Star break. Papelbon was used, and we went 17 innings all for nothing because all we had left was Rudy friggin Seanez. Luckily we had 3 days off.